1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to electric connectors and particularly to electric connectors of a type comprising male and female terminal members which are to be coupled when electric connection therebetween is needed. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with the female terminal member which is constructed to smoothly receive therein the male terminal member upon requirement of the electric connection therebetween.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to clarify the task of the present invention, known electric connectors of the above-mentioned type will be briefly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
One of such electric connectors is shown in Japanese Utility Model Second Provisional Publication (Jikkosho) 52-12947, which is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings as being designated by numeral 100. The connector 100 generally comprises a male terminal member 1 and a female terminal member 2, each being constructed of a metal plate. When it is needed to establish an electric connection therebetween, the male terminal member 1 is inserted into the female terminal member 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the female terminal member 2 includes a wire gripping portion 4 by which a naked end of a wire 3 is gripped and a female portion 5 into which a male portion 1a of the male terminal member 1 can be inserted. The female portion 5 includes a base wall portion 6 and a pair of cylindrical side portions 7a and 7b integrally formed on respective side ends of the base wall portion 6. Each of the cylindrical side portions 7a and 7b has an inwardly curled end 8a or 8b which is spaced from the base wall portion 6 by a given distance which is somewhat smaller than the thickness of the male portion 1a of the male terminal member 1. Thus, a mouth or socket portion 9 is defined by the base wall portion 6 and the inwardly curled ends 8a and 8b. When the male portion 1a of the male terminal member 1 is inserted into the mouth portion 9 of the female terminal member 2, the inwardly curled ends 8a and 8b of the female terminal member 2 resiliently press the male portion 1a against the base wall portion 6 thereby to achieve a tight connection therebetween. However, in this known electric connector 100, the two terminal members 1 and 2 should be precisely aligned before making their coupling. That is, if the precise alignment is not provided, the two terminal members 1 and 2 would come into interference with each other at their leading ends, which causes a troublesome coupling work of them.
For eliminating such drawback, another electric connector has been proposed by Japanese Utility Model First Provisional Application (Jikkaihei) 6-38373, which is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings as being designated by numeral 200. It is to be noted that FIG. 7 is a partially cut perspective view of a female terminal member of the connector 200. The connector 200 generally comprises a male terminal member 1 (see FIG. 8) and the female terminal member 2, each being constructed of a metal plate. As shown in FIG. 7, the female terminal member 2 includes a wire gripping portion 4 by which a naked part of a wire (not shown) is gripped and a female portion 5 into which a male portion 1a (see FIG. 8) of the male terminal member 1 can be inserted. The female portion 5 includes a base wall portion 6, two elongate projections 10a and 10b formed on the base wall portion 6 and a pair inwardly curled side wall portions 7a and 7b (only one 7b is shown) integrally formed on respective side ends of the base wall portion 6. Each of the side wall portions 7a and 7b has at its inwardly leading end a bent back portion 11a or 11b which is spaced from a top of the corresponding elongate projection 10a or 10b by a given distance which is somewhat smaller than the thickness of the male portion 1a of the male terminal member 1. Each bent back portion 11a or 11b has an upwardly curved front end 11a' or 11b'. A mouth or socket portion 9 is defined by front ends of the inwardly curled side wall portions 7a and 7b. When the male portion 1a of the male terminal member 1 is inserted into the mouth portion 9 of the female terminal member 2, the bent back portions 11a and 11b of the female terminal member 2 resiliently press the male portion 1a against the elongate projections 10a and 10b thereby to achieve a tight connection therebetween. Due to provision of the upwardly curved front ends 11a' and 11b' of the bent back portions 11a and 11b, the coupling between the two terminal members 1 and 2 is readily and smoothly carried out. That is, even if the two terminal members 1 and 2 fail to be precisely aligned before their coupling, they can be easily coupled by only making a slight relative displacement therebetween. However, even the electric connector 200 has the following drawback. That is, providing the bent back portions 11a and 11b with the upwardly curved front ends 11a' and 11b' needs a very difficult production technique and thus brings about increase in cost of the electric connector 200.